Antique 22k Yellow Gold Byzantine Style Dove & Insect Micromosaic Necklace

Made in Rome circa 1870 and attributed to the Vatican Mosaic Studio (Studio del Mosaico Vaticano), this Byzantine-inspired archaeological revival necklace is designed as an articulated fringe of pictorial micromosaic plaques and pendant drops, mounted in richly hued 22k yellow gold. Executed in the technique known as mosaico minuto, the inlays comprise minute enamel and foil-backed glass tesserae depicting doves, bees, scarab beetles, white lilies, and intricate geometric ornament. Twisted-wire borders and rows of gold beads frame the plaques, recalling the ancient goldwork that inspired nineteenth-century Italian revival jewelry.

The largest central plaque depicts two doves with touching beaks and overlapping, outspread wings among olive branches set against a vivid blue ground. The affectionate scene reflects Victorian sentimentality and serves as a dual allegory of love and fidelity, often associated with engagement or matrimonial gifts. Individual doves carrying olive branches appear on paired quatrefoil plaques, evoking peace and symbolizing the Holy Spirit. Alternating pointed plaques display white lilies against red grounds, imagery that is used widely in Christian artwork to represent of the Virgin Mary, particularly in representations of the Annunciation where the lilies symbolize her absolute purity. Within a matrimonial reading, these flowers may also suggest bridal purity.

Further paired quatrefoil plaques depict naturalistically rendered bees and scarab beetles, bringing together popular Victorian subjects drawn from nature and antiquity. The bees suggest industry, moral virtue, and diligence, and also reflect Rome’s distinctive decorative vocabulary, where they appear prominently on Bernini’s baldacchino in St. Peter’s Basilica. The scarabs introduce an Egyptian reference that was popular in the archaeological revival movement, and were used to represent resurrection and eternal life.

A substantial woven gold chain passes through rounded ornamental collars above the plaques, while pear-shaped mosaic drops lend movement to the symmetrical fringe. The combination of pictorial scenes, geometric borders, and richly worked gold unites Byzantine-inspired ornament with the broader archaeological revival aesthetic. A round box clasp decorated with a mixed floral bouquet completes the composition, and papal marks on the reverses of the bird and insect plaques support its production within the Vatican workshop.

Weight: 73.1 Grams

Stone: Enamel, Foil Backed Glass

Measurements: Center Mosaic and Dangle: 49 x 29 x 7.5mm

Length: 15.5"

Metal: 22k Yellow Gold

Item #: BR-2051-110226-16